246:
467:
323:
515:
falling. With the guns blind, the LAA guns fired 6283 rounds in concentrations without apparent effect, although the HAA guns claimed some success with predicted fire. An ammunition ship blew up and many other vessels were sunk or damaged; the port was devastated. A Board of
Enquiry was held after the raid on Bari and the AA defences and procedures were strengthened in line with its recommendations. A follow-up raid on 13/14 December caused no serious damage and the AA fire shot down some of the attackers.
30:
54:
71:
514:
radar, while communications were also out of order. No night fighters were ordered up until too late, no smokescreen was ignited, and there was no blackout. The result was a disaster: 20 aircraft attacked the port, which was working under floodlights, and the AA fire only began as the bombs started
523:
By the beginning of 1944, the Allied air forces had achieved air supremacy over Italy, but
British ground forces were suffering an acute manpower shortage. In June the Chiefs of Staff decided that the number of AA regiments in Italy must be reduced and their fit personnel converted to other roles,
346:
IX Corps launched an attack against the mountain passes at
Fondouk on 8 April, and its AA guns were heavily engaged against both air and ground targets. Moving and deploying AA guns in the rough country with underpowered gun tractors was difficult but necessary as units in the forward areas were
437:
had six LAA regiments ashore but only enough transport for a quarter of that number, and it was only by ruthlessly stripping vehicles from batteries in the rear areas that the brigade was able to move others forward. 117th LAA Regiment was sent to defend the airfields at
347:
subjected to regular dive-bombing and ground attacks. Ammunition expenditure by the LAA batteries was high, and supply was sometimes erratic. With greater experience of 'snap' actions against fast low-flying aircraft, Bofors gun units increasingly abandoned using the
265:
with
Regimental Headquarters (RHQ), 383, 384 and 385 LAA Batteries. The unit was allowed to retain its rifle regiment customs and traditions including the RUR cap badge. While under training, still in North East England (it was visited by an official photographer at
531:
notes that some care was taken to post AA gunners to infantry battalions from their home areas. In the case of 117th, originally Royal Ulster Rifles, they were not drafted to Irish units, but in deference to their Rifles heritage to
206:, as part of the rapid expansion of the Army with wartime conscripts. In its first three weeks it inducted and equipped 767 men direct from civilian life. It was converted into a normal infantry battalion on 9 October that year as
391:
was expecting 107th LAA Rgt, not 117th. When 107th also landed a few days later it became clear that a mistake had been made. Only after several weeks did it emerge that 117th LAA Rgt should have been assigned to
330:
The Torch landings began on 8 November 1942, and First Army's units and formations were progressively fed into the fighting. IX Corps had still not embarked by 18 February, but 117th LAA Rgt finally landed at
1182:
1172:
409:(Operation Husky). It joined 7th Light Anti-Aircraft Brigade covering the airfields and low-level approaches to the harbours, with RHQ, 383 and 384 LAA Btys deployed at the fleet anchorage at
1177:
218:
in
England on 9 March 1941. The Support Group with artillery and a lorried infantry battalion was intended to act as the 'pivot' of an armoured division. 11th Armoured Division's commander,
335:
on 5 March 1943, the date that the Corps Troops were considered to be complete. After the remainder of its equipment arrived three weeks later it moved 500 miles (800 km) eastwards to
225:, was a noted armour pioneer and he trained the division hard and imaginatively. But 8th RUR did not stay with 11th Sp Gp for long, transferring on 8 May to a static home defence role with
396:: unable to find 117th LAA Rgt in North Africa, XXX Corps had taken another regiment (from Malta) as its corps LAA unit. The confusion meant that the men's mail was delayed for 11 weeks.
716:
Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United
Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional units), 22 October 1941, with amendments, TNA files WO 212/6 and WO 33/1883.
734:
Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United
Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 14 August 1942, with amendments, TNA files WO 212/7 and WO 33/1927.
363:
air forces had achieved virtual air superiority over the battlefield. IX Corps played a leading role in the operations, which ended in the surrender of all remaining
583:
rather than 8th RUR that became 117th LAA Rgt; although this error is not repeated in the rest of the book it has been mistakenly followed by some reference works.
249:
Bofors anti-aircraft gun of 117th LAA (Light Anti-Aircraft) Regiment at
Billingham, County Durham, 21 January 1942; note the RUR badge on the side of the helmet.
752:
Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United
Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 18 February 1943, TNA files WO 212/9 and WO 33/1987.
743:
Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United
Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional Units), 22 November 1942, TNA files WO 212/8 and WO 33/1962.
483:
399:
However, with its large establishment of 54 Bofors guns for a mobile LAA unit, the regiment was a useful addition to Malta's air defences just when the
286:
230:
211:
1027:
704:
541:
533:
433:
on 8 August. There were serious problems with the loading of the ships, and some units including 117th LAA Rgt landed without their transport.
1059:
971:
725:
Order of Battle of the Field Force in the United Kingdom, Part 3: Royal Artillery (Non-Divisional units), 2 April 1942, TNA file WO 212/515.
237:
in the D&NR County Division, but in December the division was disbanded and most of its infantry battalions converted to other roles.
556:
1138:
1123:
1100:
1081:
1043:
1020:
1005:
990:
560:
215:
487:
434:
421:
raids were made in July, too high for LAA guns, but these were driven off by the heavy AA (HAA) guns and little damage was done.
116:
112:
245:
258:
184:
138:
511:
234:
226:
219:
289:(REME) for its mobile role. By November IX Corps had ceased to be a district headquarters and was now a field formation in
375:
After the fall of Tunis IX Corps HQ was disbanded and 117th LAA Rgt was 'forgotten', deployed at a coastal location near
1167:
447:
356:
703:
Order of Battle of Non-Field Force Units in the United Kingdom, Part 27: AA Command, 2 December 1941, with amendments,
290:
624:
502:
mounted a series of low-intensity raids on Bari during November, then on the night of 2/3 December it carried out a
466:
393:
351:
in favour of the simple 'Stiffkey Stick' deflection sight. By the time First Army prepared for the final attack on
545:
406:
282:
180:
133:
108:
322:
311:
524:
particularly infantry. 117th LAA Regiment was one of those selected, and it was disbanded on 15 June 1944.
507:
360:
580:
275:
506:
aimed at knocking out the vital port. The raiders approached from the north dropping large amounts of '
443:
983:
History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Years of Defeat: Europe and North Africa, 1939–1941
202:
164:
1112:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
1089:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
1070:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
1032:
History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series: The Mediterranean and Middle East
348:
829:
29:
454:), 117th LAA Rgt was deployed under 73rd AA Bde to protect the embarkation port and ferries at
1134:
1119:
1096:
1077:
1055:
1039:
1016:
1001:
986:
967:
451:
172:
128:
800:
559:
were redesignated as 117th LAA/Searchlight Rgt when the rest of the regiment reformed in the
536:. This had recently been formed from three experienced battalions (2nd, 7th and 10th) of the
503:
410:
188:
1074:
The Campaign in Sicily 1943 and the Campaign in Italy 3rd September 1943 to 31st March 1944
414:
1107:
978:
294:
254:
168:
70:
405:
was paying attention to the ships gathering in the island's harbours for the forthcoming
59:
1161:
537:
388:
271:
176:
222:
160:
156:
74:
214:
as the infantry component of 11th Support Group when that formation was formed in
191:) before being broken up in 1944 and the gunners converted back into infantrymen.
1118:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1966/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
1095:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
1076:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1973/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
1038:, London: HM Stationery Office, 1987/Uckfield, Naval & Military Press, 2004,
544:. The brigade fought through the battles of 1944–45 in Italy, culminating in the
495:
364:
343:, where the batteries deployed to guard bridges, Corps HQ and the corps troops.
257:(RA) to begin retraining as a light anti-aircraft (LAA) regiment equipped with
429:
Operation Husky was launched on 9/10 July and 117th LAA Regiment embarked for
297:. As its mobile corps LAA unit, 117th LAA Rgt had the following organisation:
267:
964:
Hobart's 79th Armoured Division at War: Invention, Innovation and Inspiration
401:
94:
285:' district from 1 April. In October it was joined by workshop units of the
491:
98:
549:
475:
455:
439:
340:
332:
985:, Woolwich: Royal Artillery Institution, 1988/London: Brasseys, 1996,
379:. The commanding officer (CO) was then told to embark the regiment at
625:'How 8 RUR became a Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment' at Royal-Irish.com.
430:
376:
336:
278:, but left in February before it had been assigned to an AA brigade.
779:
Playfair & Molony, Vol IV, pp. 379–82, 432, 446, 450, 453, 459.
579:
One normally reliable source incorrectly states that it was 8th Bn
465:
384:
352:
321:
244:
1093:
Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I: 1st April to 4th June 1944
490:
arrived on 2 October to take over defence of the ports of Bari,
479:
380:
1151:
788:
Routledge, pp. 182–7; Table XXXI, p. 189; Table XXXII, p. 190.
446:
on the way. By mid-September, after the capture of Sicily and
1036:
Victory in the Mediterranean, Part I|: June to October 1944
811:
Rollo, pp 285–7; Map 26; Annex A, p. 326; Annex E, p. 390.
281:
The regiment joined the field force and was assigned to
413:
in the north of the island and 385 LAA Bty detached to
1152:
Royal-Irish.com: The Irish Soldier in the British Army
563:. However the new 117th was disbanded a month later.
1183:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1944
1173:
Light anti-aircraft regiments of the Royal Artillery
1054:. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval and Military Press.
555:On 1 April 1947 the remaining wartime personnel of
326:
Bofors gun and crew in action near Tunis, May 1943.
163:. Initially raised as an infantry battalion of the
153:
117th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery
122:
104:
90:
80:
65:
47:
39:
20:
1178:Military units and formations established in 1942
921:Routledge, pp. 278, 282, 291, Table XLIV, p. 293.
253:On 1 January 1942 8th RUR was transferred to the
199:The unit was originally formed on 28 May 1940 as
155:, (117th LAA Rgt) was an air defence unit of the
307:383, 384 and 385 LAA Workshop Sub-Sections, REME
233:. By the end of the year the battalion was with
1015:, Vol II, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984,
1000:, Vol I, Wakefield: Microform Academic, 1984,
690:
688:
686:
604:
602:
600:
1052:Orders of Battle: Second World War, 1939–1945
1013:Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
998:Lineage Book of British Land Forces 1660–1978
801:'8 RUR mistaken in Malta' at Royal-Irish.com.
8:
1116:The Destruction of the Axis forces in Africa
540:to act as the lorried infantry component of
796:
794:
28:
498:, and a complex of inland airfields. The
474:On 29 September 117th LAA Rgt crossed to
470:Allied ships burn after the raid on Bari.
293:about to land in North Africa as part of
287:Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
235:224th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)
227:215th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)
820:Routledge, p. 173–4; Table XXIX, p. 175.
770:Playfair & Molony Vol IV, p. 359fn.
663:
661:
659:
620:
618:
616:
614:
596:
572:
231:Durham and North Riding County Division
858:Routledge, p. 264; Table XLII, p. 267.
23:117th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
17:
167:(RUR) in 1940, it transferred to the
7:
34:Cap badge of the Royal Ulster Rifles
966:, Barnsley: Pen & Sword, 2011,
263:117th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
241:117th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment
195:8th Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles
21:8th Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles
14:
912:Molony, Vol VI, Pt I, pp. 448–50.
705:The National Archives (TNA), Kew
274:, on 22 January) it was part of
69:
52:
930:Jackson, Vol VI, Pt II, p. 372.
830:Sicily 1943 at Royal-Irish.com.
512:Ground-controlled interception
450:'s landing in mainland Italy (
261:guns. The unit was designated
223:Percy ('Pat' or 'Hobo') Hobart
1:
1131:The Guns and Gunners of Malta
478:in Italy and went by road to
387:. On arrival it emerged that
367:troops in Tunisia on 13 May.
357:Operations Vulcan and Strike
1199:
1133:, Valetta: Mondial, 1999,
1110:& Brig C.J.C. Molony,
885:Routledge, pp. 274–5, 281.
653:Joslen, pp. 110, 378, 387.
43:28 May 1940 – 15 June 1944
903:Molony, Vol V, pp. 421–3.
894:Molony, Vol V, pp. 561–2.
546:Battle of the Argenta Gap
407:Allied invasion of Sicily
304:383, 384 and 385 LAA Btys
187:(including the notorious
134:Allied invasion of Sicily
27:
948:Frederick, pp. 821, 963.
876:Routledge, pp. 174, 265.
482:where it briefly joined
312:Royal Army Service Corps
201:50th Holding Battalion,
1050:Joslen, H. F. (2003) .
552:at the end of the war.
471:
327:
250:
212:11th Armoured Division
171:in 1942. It served in
581:Royal Welch Fusiliers
548:and the advance into
542:6th Armoured Division
534:61st Infantry Brigade
469:
444:Messerschmitt Bf 109s
325:
276:Anti-Aircraft Command
248:
1087:Brig C.J.C. Molony,
510:' that confused the
442:, being attacked by
1168:Royal Ulster Rifles
1068:Brig C.J.C. Molony,
644:Joslen pp. 27, 221.
203:Royal Ulster Rifles
165:Royal Ulster Rifles
1011:J.B.M. Frederick,
996:J.B.M. Frederick,
849:Routledge, p. 263.
694:Frederick, p. 838.
680:Frederick, p. 805.
635:Doherty, pp. 33–4.
608:Frederick, p. 263.
472:
417:in the south. Two
349:Kerrison Predictor
328:
251:
208:8th Battalion, RUR
1061:978-1-84342-474-1
972:978-1-84884-398-1
962:Richard Doherty,
707:, file WO 212/80.
452:Operation Baytown
310:117 LAA Platoon,
146:
145:
129:Tunisian campaign
1190:
1146:External sources
1065:
949:
946:
940:
937:
931:
928:
922:
919:
913:
910:
904:
901:
895:
892:
886:
883:
877:
874:
868:
865:
859:
856:
850:
847:
841:
838:
832:
827:
821:
818:
812:
809:
803:
798:
789:
786:
780:
777:
771:
768:
762:
759:
753:
750:
744:
741:
735:
732:
726:
723:
717:
714:
708:
701:
695:
692:
681:
678:
672:
665:
654:
651:
645:
642:
636:
633:
627:
622:
609:
606:
584:
577:
561:Territorial Army
529:Official History
216:Northern Command
189:Air raid on Bari
139:Italian campaign
73:
58:
56:
55:
32:
18:
1198:
1197:
1193:
1192:
1191:
1189:
1188:
1187:
1158:
1157:
1156:
1148:
1108:I.S.O. Playfair
1062:
1049:
1028:William Jackson
979:Martin Farndale
958:
953:
952:
947:
943:
938:
934:
929:
925:
920:
916:
911:
907:
902:
898:
893:
889:
884:
880:
875:
871:
867:Joslen, p. 467.
866:
862:
857:
853:
848:
844:
840:Joslen, p. 486.
839:
835:
828:
824:
819:
815:
810:
806:
799:
792:
787:
783:
778:
774:
769:
765:
761:Joslen, p. 465.
760:
756:
751:
747:
742:
738:
733:
729:
724:
720:
715:
711:
702:
698:
693:
684:
679:
675:
669:Years of Defeat
666:
657:
652:
648:
643:
639:
634:
630:
623:
612:
607:
598:
593:
588:
587:
578:
574:
569:
521:
464:
435:73rd AA Brigade
427:
373:
320:
295:Operation Torch
255:Royal Artillery
243:
197:
169:Royal Artillery
149:
117:62nd AA Brigade
115:
113:73rd AA Brigade
111:
97:
85:
53:
51:
35:
22:
12:
11:
5:
1196:
1194:
1186:
1185:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1160:
1159:
1155:
1154:
1147:
1144:
1143:
1142:
1127:
1104:
1085:
1066:
1060:
1047:
1024:
1009:
994:
975:
959:
957:
954:
951:
950:
941:
939:Joslen, p. 297
932:
923:
914:
905:
896:
887:
878:
869:
860:
851:
842:
833:
822:
813:
804:
790:
781:
772:
763:
754:
745:
736:
727:
718:
709:
696:
682:
673:
655:
646:
637:
628:
610:
595:
594:
592:
589:
586:
585:
571:
570:
568:
565:
520:
517:
504:large air raid
484:2nd AA Brigade
463:
460:
426:
423:
372:
369:
319:
316:
315:
314:
308:
305:
302:
242:
239:
196:
193:
147:
144:
143:
142:
141:
136:
131:
124:
120:
119:
106:
102:
101:
92:
88:
87:
82:
78:
77:
67:
63:
62:
60:United Kingdom
49:
45:
44:
41:
37:
36:
33:
25:
24:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1195:
1184:
1181:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1165:
1163:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1145:
1140:
1139:99909-68-84-5
1136:
1132:
1129:Denis Rollo,
1128:
1125:
1124:1-845740-68-8
1121:
1117:
1113:
1109:
1105:
1102:
1101:1-845740-70-X
1098:
1094:
1090:
1086:
1083:
1082:1-845740-69-6
1079:
1075:
1071:
1067:
1063:
1057:
1053:
1048:
1045:
1044:1-845740-71-8
1041:
1037:
1033:
1029:
1025:
1022:
1021:1-85117-009-X
1018:
1014:
1010:
1007:
1006:1-85117-007-3
1003:
999:
995:
992:
991:1-85753-080-2
988:
984:
980:
976:
973:
969:
965:
961:
960:
955:
945:
942:
936:
933:
927:
924:
918:
915:
909:
906:
900:
897:
891:
888:
882:
879:
873:
870:
864:
861:
855:
852:
846:
843:
837:
834:
831:
826:
823:
817:
814:
808:
805:
802:
797:
795:
791:
785:
782:
776:
773:
767:
764:
758:
755:
749:
746:
740:
737:
731:
728:
722:
719:
713:
710:
706:
700:
697:
691:
689:
687:
683:
677:
674:
670:
664:
662:
660:
656:
650:
647:
641:
638:
632:
629:
626:
621:
619:
617:
615:
611:
605:
603:
601:
597:
590:
582:
576:
573:
566:
564:
562:
558:
553:
551:
547:
543:
539:
538:Rifle Brigade
535:
530:
525:
518:
516:
513:
509:
505:
501:
497:
493:
489:
485:
481:
477:
468:
461:
459:
457:
453:
449:
445:
441:
436:
432:
424:
422:
420:
416:
412:
411:St Paul's Bay
408:
404:
403:
397:
395:
390:
389:Malta Command
386:
382:
378:
370:
368:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
344:
342:
338:
334:
324:
317:
313:
309:
306:
303:
300:
299:
298:
296:
292:
288:
284:
279:
277:
273:
272:County Durham
269:
264:
260:
256:
247:
240:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
221:
220:Major-General
217:
213:
209:
205:
204:
194:
192:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
158:
154:
148:Military unit
140:
137:
135:
132:
130:
127:
126:
125:
121:
118:
114:
110:
107:
103:
100:
96:
93:
89:
83:
79:
76:
72:
68:
64:
61:
50:
46:
42:
38:
31:
26:
19:
16:
1130:
1115:
1111:
1092:
1088:
1073:
1069:
1051:
1035:
1031:
1012:
997:
982:
963:
944:
935:
926:
917:
908:
899:
890:
881:
872:
863:
854:
845:
836:
825:
816:
807:
784:
775:
766:
757:
748:
739:
730:
721:
712:
699:
676:
668:
649:
640:
631:
575:
557:13th LAA Rgt
554:
528:
526:
522:
499:
473:
428:
418:
400:
398:
374:
345:
329:
280:
262:
259:Bofors 40 mm
252:
210:. It joined
207:
200:
198:
161:World War II
157:British Army
152:
150:
105:Part of
75:British Army
15:
519:Disbandment
496:Manfredonia
488:62nd AA Bde
448:Eighth Army
123:Engagements
86:Air defence
1162:Categories
1114:, Vol IV:
1091:, Vol VI:
1034:, Vol VI:
956:References
671:, Annex M.
667:Farndale,
415:Birżebbuġa
291:First Army
268:Billingham
1072:, Vol V:
567:Footnotes
500:Luftwaffe
419:Luftwaffe
402:Luftwaffe
394:XXX Corps
95:Battalion
1106:Maj-Gen
1026:Gen Sir
977:Gen Sir
492:Barletta
283:IX Corps
109:IX Corps
99:Regiment
84:Infantry
550:Austria
476:Taranto
456:Milazzo
440:Lentini
341:Tunisia
333:Algiers
318:Tunisia
229:in the
173:Tunisia
159:during
48:Country
1137:
1122:
1099:
1080:
1058:
1042:
1019:
1004:
989:
970:
508:Window
431:Sicily
425:Sicily
377:Sousse
361:Allied
359:) the
337:Le Kef
181:Sicily
66:Branch
57:
40:Active
591:Notes
462:Italy
385:Malta
371:Malta
353:Tunis
185:Italy
177:Malta
1135:ISBN
1120:ISBN
1097:ISBN
1078:ISBN
1056:ISBN
1040:ISBN
1017:ISBN
1002:ISBN
987:ISBN
968:ISBN
527:The
494:and
480:Bari
383:for
381:Sfax
365:Axis
183:and
151:The
91:Size
81:Role
339:in
301:RHQ
1164::
1030:,
981:,
793:^
685:^
658:^
613:^
599:^
486:.
458:.
270:,
179:,
175:,
1141:.
1126:.
1103:.
1084:.
1064:.
1046:.
1023:.
1008:.
993:.
974:.
355:(
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